ISSN barcodes

The International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an
internationally accepted code which identifies the title of serial
publications. It is an eight digit number consisting of seven digits
plus a check digit which enables a computer to recognise when the
number is incorrectly cited. The check digit may be an X, otherwise
the ISSN is fully numeric.

The ISSN was developed by the International
Standards Organisation (ISO) because of the need for a brief unique
and unambiguous identification code for serial publications. A seven
digit number was considered by ISO to be sufficient as the basis for
numbering the entire population of serials.

ISSN numbers are issued by the ISSN Centre in the
country in which the serial is published -
see list of
centres.

When the barcoding system was set up for serials,
it was realised that the ISSN as a unique identifying number for the
title could be used as part of the barcode to identify the serial.
The ISSN is therefore the title identifier in the barcode.

The ISSN coding scheme for barcodes is EAN-13, with the first
three digits being 977, 7 digits showing the ISSN number of the
periodical (without the ISSN check digit), and 2 spare digits (known
as the "Sequence Variant" and used in the UK to indicate price code
changes). The final digit is the EAN calculated check digit.

(Shown enlarged)

The ISSN number is reproduced above the barcode
using the format of the initials ISSN, a single space, the first 4
digits, a hyphen, the last 4 characters.

Magazine barcodes are represented in EAN-13 format
with a 2 digit add-on code representing, for example, the issue
number.

ISSN barcodes with a 2 supplementary are supported by most dLSoft
products. In some cases the supplementary characters must be
separated from the ISSN numbers with a / character.

What is the difference between ISSN and ISBN?

The ISSN identifies the title of a serial and stays the same from
issue to issue unless the title changes, at which a point a new ISSN
needs to be assigned.
The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) represents a single
volume such as a novel, a monograph, a specific title within a
monographic series or a specific issue of an annual or yearbook.
ISBN numbers are generally issued by different agencies than
ISSN numbers.

The two systems are complementary and can be used together on the
same publication. On an annual, for example, the ISBN will identify
a specific volume (e.g. 2007 edition, 2008 edition) whilst the ISSN
identifies the title and stays the same each year.

ISBN should not be assigned to specific issues of periodicals and
should not usually be assigned to any title published more
frequently than once a year.

A fundamental difference between the two systems / numbers is that
the stem of the ISBN identifies the publisher whereas the ISSN
contains no publisher identifier. The ISSN is a purely arbitrary
number that remains linked to the serial even when the
responsibility for the serial passes from one publisher to another.